The aspects of the Human Factor are Teacher, Environment, Child, and Community

The Emotional Environment – Each teacher must create and maintain an environment in her learning community that builds individual self-esteem and engenders an overall sense of community for the class.  This aura of positivity creates a place where the human factor can relish. The prerequisites for creating this positive emotional environment are:

• Warmth and Humor – Positively Positive, even in Firm Discipline        
• Acceptance and Respect – True Aretha Franklin R-E-S-P-E-C-T
• Protection of Rights – Choice, Expression, Mistakes, and Personal & Special Rights
• Assignment of Responsibilities – Teachers and Children Working
• Celebration – Rites, Rituals, Customs, Milestones, and Shared Personal Stories
• Connections with Families – The Partnership that Works

The Individual Child – Each child, as a valid, valuable, and vulnerable human being must be granted ownership of his learning.  He may not be aware that he has this responsibility for being part of the necessary human factor of the learning process unless the teacher grants it by creating and maintaining an emotionally safe environment and by knowing when to step in and when to step out of the process, when to answer questions and when to ask them, how to be patient and wait for him to take over the process, and of course, by knowing how to gauge her involvement based on her knowledge of child development. 

The child may not have a formal philosophy, but he will develop an attitude toward learning and he will take specific actions according to that attitude.  It is up to the teacher to observe his interest, curiosity, ability to participate, and his past actions and then encourage him to involve himself fully in all facets of the process.

The Learning Community – All of the children in the community, given this same ownership, must be offered opportunities for group learning.  It is said that we humans learn best (that’s our mission – optimal learning) when we teach someone else.  Shared learning is best for most humans because it provides the feedback and support that increases the quality and the efficiency of the learning.  Young children learn by imitating the actions of others, and peer “pressure” is a very strong force, so the human factor involved in learning refers to the teacher and the human and safe environment, each child as an individual, and the learning community as a whole.

Parents, treated as fully invested partners in the learning process, are a vital part of the human factor. They must be offered full membership in the community and always be included with respect and dignity. Never Forget the Parents!

And the ‘Adminnies’ – Directors, Principals and Support Staff must be included as part of the team in the mission of optimal learning for each child. They must be present and visible and available and must do all they can to support the teaching staff and every child.

Final Thoughts on the Human Factor – When I visit preschool and elementary classrooms these days, I am stunned – STUNNED – by the lack of the human factor in teaching. In particular in K – 2 classes, teachers are not given the time they need to interact on a personal level with each child daily, and some preschool teachers are not taking advantage of the time they do have to improve the learning and the behaviors in their learning communities by connecting to each child in a personal, respectful, and humane manner.

Here are some simple ways to use the human factor in your program:

• Greet each child every morning in a sincerely welcoming voice
• Make eye contact and smile at each child daily at some point
• Pronounce each child’s name correctly!!!! (And spell it right, too).
• Use Active Listening (eye contact, no distractions, respectful) to each child as he coos, blathers, stammers, repeats, shares, retells, or even seems to make little sense
• HAVE CONVERSATIONS!!! – Talking WITH each child, not just talking to present facts, correct behavior, give directions, or give meaningless praise
• Use gestures (smiles, winks, thumbs-ups, high fives) with eye contact when you see positive behaviors 
• Sing (in your own croaky voice) and dance (with your over-20 year old body) with the children rather than only using a recorded professional CD
• MAKE PERSONAL POSITIVE CONTACT WITH EACH CHILD DURING CENTER TIME!!!!

Next blog:  Execution – How the Learning is Delivered – DAP, Part One